Evaluation of different wheat varieties by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis

Wheat seed-storage proteins represent not only an important source of food and energy but it is also involved in the determination of bread-making quality. Wheat grains of thirteen wheat varieties were collected from different ecological regions of Pakistan. The variability of seed storage-proteins was analyzed by using SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. Electrophorogram for each variety was scored and presence or absence of each band noted and entered in a binary data matrix. Based on electrophoresis band spectra, Jaccard's Similarity Index (JSI) was calculated. Genetic diversity of wheat was evaluated by constructing the dendrogram for High Molecular Weight (HMW) and Low Molecular Weight (LMW) gluten subunit bands. It is concluded that seed storage protein profiles could be useful markers in the studies of genetic diversity and classification of adapted cultivars, thereby improving the efficiency of wheat breeding programs in cultivar development especially in developing countries like Pakistan.